Introduction to Local Control

Tower, better known as the Local Controller, is responsible for the active runway surfaces at the airport.  Tower clears aircraft to take off or land and ensures that the active runway is clear for these aircraft.  The Local Controller must also keep open the lines of communication with the active ground controller.  TWR must keep GND informed of which runways are currently active, and inform them of traffic that will be entering the taxiways.  Likewise the GND controller must coordinate with TWR for allowing aircraft to cross any and all active runways and for proper sequencing of departing aircraft.

Runway Selection

Normally Tower selects the runway in use for their airport.  Most, but not all, of our facilities have a designated "calm wind" runway configuration that is used when the winds are reported locally at less than 5kts.  The Tower controller will make an active runway selection based on which runway is best aligned with the current wind direction.  Other factors that must be considered regardless of the wind, are an aircraft's ability to land on the selected runway.  Heavy aircraft requiring a lengthy runway may be assigned to that airports longest runway despite current wind conditions for safety reasons.

Calm Wind Runways (ZJX)

   KJAX    07

   KDAB   07L

   KSAV   09

   KTLH   18

   KCAE   11

   KMCO  18R, 18L, 17R, and 17L

   KPNS   17

Wake Turbulence

Wake Turbulence is generated by the passage of an aircraft through the atmosphere.  Generally speaking, the heavier the aircraft, the more wake turbulence it will create.  This term also refers to jet blast, jet wash, propeller wash and rotor wash both on the ground and in the air, since aircraft can encounter wake turbulence on the ground as well as when airborne.  Due to the great effects produced by such commercial programs as ActiveSky, VATSIM pilots can and will encounter wake turbulence and its effects while flying on the network.  Therefore it is especially important to be aware of this and the procedures used to help pilots avoid its effects.

For the purpose of Wake Turbulence Separation, aircraft are classified as Heavy, Large, or Small.

•  Heavy aircraft are capable of takeoff weights of 255,000 pounds or more.  Some examples are the 747, 767, DC10, A-300, C-5 etc...
•  Large aircraft are capable of takeoff weights of more than 41,000 pounds but less than 255,000 pounds.
•  Small aircraft are aircraft of 41,000 pounds or less maximum takeoff weight.  Most general aviation aircraft are in this category.

3 minutes separation required for:

• Small behind Heavy or Large
• Large behind Heavy
• Heavy behind Heavy

2 minutes separation required for:

• Small behind Small
• Large behind Large

Arriving Aircraft

Aircraft arriving at your airfield are always given the local wind when granting them landing clearance.  This is done even if you have a current ATIS in effect for that field.  Additional information may also be required when issuing a landing clearance to an arriving aircraft and should be issued as needed for each different situation. 

Landing multiple aircraft on a runway using proper sequencing.

"Delta one twenty three, number 2 following an American 767 on a 3 mile final, wind clam, runway 1 8 Right, cleared to land."

Landing on parallel runways.

"American six twenty four, traffic is a Southwest 737 on the parallel approach for runway 1 7 L, wind calm, runway 1 8 right, cleared to land." 

Missed Approach / Go Around Procedures

A pilot on an IFR flight plan making an instrument approach may execute a missed approach if they are unable to safely descend to the runway due to weather or any other factor.  Each airport and their respective runways have different and unique Missed Approach procedures.  Have charts on hand while controlling for reference when a pilot declares a missed approach.  Below is the more common phraseology used in this circumstance. At MCO, there are specific missed approach headings. Orlando Tower shall issue these in accordance with the SOP.

"American one twenty three, turn right heading 270, maintain 3000, contact departure on 1 2 4 point 8."

A pilot on a VFR flight plan or an IFR flight performing a visual approach may initiate a Go Around procedure if they are unable to safely descend to the runway.  The controller can also call for this procedure if for example, an aircraft suddenly violates the runway, making a landing unsafe.  Proper Go Around procedures for a VFR aircraft is to have them climb to pattern altitude and enter the closed traffic pattern for that runway.  IFR aircraft will again be instructed to perform the Missed Approach procedures for that runway, unless they request to remain in the VFR traffic pattern or cancel thier IFR flight plan.

"Mooney four two niner Romeo, enter left downwind for runway 7, report midfield."

Departure Procedures

Aircraft departing from your airfield are also always given the current local wind prior to recieving their takeoff clearance.  You may also issue any heading instructions provided by the Approach controller or per airport SOP.  Orlando International has unique departure procedures in place for noise abatement that we use at ZJX.  These are covered in detail in the Orlando ATCT section.

"Delta one twenty three, fly runway heading, wind calm, runway 7 cleared for takeoff."

"American one ninety nine, turn right heading 2 0 5, wind calm, runway 1 8 L, cleared for takeoff."

VFR Departure Procedures

Handling VFR departures can be much different than IFR departures. Being VFR gives the controller quite a few more options. It also brings with it a few more requirements depending on the type of airspace.

Departure Instructions

IFR departures are pretty simple. There are only two options for departure instructions: "fly runway heading" or "turn left/right heading ..." There is a bit more lee way with VFR aircraft utilizing standard traffic pattern procedures. For instance, you can tell an aircraft to depart:

• Left or right crosswind
• Left or right downwind
• Straight out

With your newly acquired knowledge of the traffic pattern you'll understand that a crosswind departure means the aircraft will turn left or right 90 degrees and depart perpendicular to the departure runway. A downwind departure means the aircraft will make two 90 degree turns to depart parallel to the departure runway in the opposite direction. A straight out departure is pretty self explanatory. It is much the same as issuing runway heading but does not confine the pilot to one specific heading.

Assigning these types of instructions is very simple and can make your life and the life of the Departure controller quite a bit easier. You should, in most cases, issue these instructions with the takeoff clearance. For instance:

• "Cessna 7782T, make left crosswind departure, wind 080 at 9 runway 7L clear for takeoff."
• "Piper 881FT, right downwind departure approved, wind 110 at 7 runway 7R clear for takeoff."

If needed you can delay these instructions until after the aircraft is airborne, just issue runway heading with the takeoff clearance.

Class Bravo Airspace Clearances

Class B airspace is a very congestion and controlled airspace. In order for an aircraft to operat in class B airspace they must either be on an IFR flight plan or receive an explicit class B clearance. As the Local Controller at the primary class B field, the class B airspace immediately surrounding the airport is yours therefore the responsibility for issueing this clearance to VFR departures lies with you.

Issue class B clearances to VFR aircraft departing the primary airport in class B airspace only (in our case, only Orlando International Airport) when you issue the takeoff clearance:

• "Duchess 668TT, Orlando Tower, cleared out of the Orlando Class Bravo Airspace, make right crosswind departure. Wind 170 at 7 runway 18R cleared for takeoff." 

Make sure you specify "Orlando Class Bravo Airspace." Even though KMCO is our only class B airport and the aircraft should know what airport they are on the ground at it is still specifically required by FAAO 7110.65.

As you can see, takeoff clearances can get rather long and complex at times. Think it through first and take your time. Airplanes on the ground holding short aren't likely to hit anyone so there's no rush.

Land and Hold Short Operatations

Land and Hold Short Operations or LAHSO allows a local controller to utilize simultaneous operations on intersecting runways or allows the active runway to be crossed downfield of a landing aircraft by issuing a hold short instruction to the landing aircraft. Land and Hold Short Operations may only be issued at certain airports, on certain runways to hold short of certain intersections. There are several requirements in order to use Land and Hold Short Operations:

 

• The FAA must have approved the LASHO’s in effect.
• LAHSO’s must be visually depicted on the airport diagram.
• The hold short point must be visually depicted on the pavement.
• The airport ATIS must state that LAHSO’s are in effect and include the landing runway, hold short point and available landing distance.

Only a handful of airports in ZJX have been approved for Land and Hold Short Operations. You should always refer to the facility’s Standard Operating Procedures to see if and how to utilize LAHSO’s at the field you are working.

The hardest part of Land and Hold Short Operations is knowing if it’s ok to use them. Once you’ve determined that issuing them is easy. All you have to do instruct the aircraft to hold short of the crossing runway or taxiway when you clear them to land. For example:

“Citation 24B, Daytona Beach Tower. Wind 080 at 6 runway 7L clear to land, hold short of taxiway Whiskey.”

As with all hold short instructions the pilot must read back the hold short instruction. The controller is responsible for ensuring a proper readback. The pilot may also choose to deny a hold short when landing if there is any doubt of there not being sufficient runway to stop. If a pilot denies a LAHSO clearance the controller must ensure that the full length of the runway will be available and clear for that aircraft.

Upon accepting a Land and Hold Short the pilot must strictly adhere to that hold short. Whether in the air or on the ground they are no longer allowed to cross the intersection they were instructed to hold short of. If an aircraft issued a hold short goes missed that aircraft must make a turn before crossing that point to ensure adequate separation from traffic landing, departing or crossing at the intersection. Controllers should make every effort to ensure the aircraft turns safely before crossing the intersection unless the controller can determine that adequate separation will exist otherwise.

http://www.faa.gov/airports_airtraffic/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/ATC/Appendices/atcapda.html

 

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